


What would you like him to say next?

by Stine_Saugmann



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, But here you go Bae!, Follows the pool scene at the end of season 1 in 'The Great Game', M/M, i don't know how to tag, somewhat cannon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 15:57:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8851105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stine_Saugmann/pseuds/Stine_Saugmann
Summary: “What, would you like me to make him say next” As he spoke, a red spot only too familiar showed up on his chest. Sherlock started to look around to see where the source of it came from, but it was hidden too well in the shadows, he couldn’t find it. "Gottle o’ gear, gottle o’ gear. Or how about, I love you” John seemed to stumble over the last sentence, just as Sherlock stopped up and looked up at John. The stare was intense, it only lasted for a second, nonetheless it made Sherlock feel vulnerable, like for the first time, he was the one being read, in this case by John, instead of him being the one reading someone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for my best friend who passed her drivers licence today!! 
> 
> Already looking forward to our road trip to Germany in February <3

_ For my Love, and for all the road trips we’re going to have in the future! _

Sherlock knew it was risky business doing what he was doing, but that was just the thing wasn’t it, that was why he did it in the first place, the risk of it, the thrill of it, the _great game_.

Nonetheless, there was a part of him that regretted going around John’s back like this, he knew that that one was going to catch up to him later, he usually got away with it, but this was different, this whole thing was different, which was why it was so exciting! He hadn’t had a thing like this for a long while now, and my how it was just what he needed.

The swimming pool had been one of the more pleasing things, having being understood by whomever this man was, to not just be another foolish simple mind that the whole world was overpopulated with, now that was the real pleasure.

The sound of the small splashes of the water from the pool calmed his mind as he walked into the room, he walked in there with a purpose, a purpose to end this thing, as much as it pleased him, he knew it had to be stopped, John was right this time. He looked around to see if this secret man was already there, but no signs of him was visible, off course that didn’t mean he wasn’t there.

“Bought you a little getting-to-know you present.” Sherlock yelled across the room, while searching for signs that he wasn’t just talking to himself.

“That’s what it’s all been for, isn’t it? All your little puzzles, making me dance. All to distract me from this” He spoke securely while holding up Andrew Wests USB with the oh so desired missile plans. Off course it had all been about this. That was how things were these days, war and violence was the biggest play in the game, though Sherlock would be lying if he didn’t hope there was some power play involved in it all, just so this secretive man wasn’t as predictable as he seemed to be.

Only, it seemed that things weren’t predictable at all, this was clear to Sherlock when a door opened, and out of it stepped someone, that for the first time was in a place where Sherlock wished he wasn’t.

John.

The man that he any other day would have been happy to see, was not the case in this scenario, no, this scenario was something he definitely did not want to see John of all men be in. John was wearing a big coat, which was the first warning sign, he never wore that kind of coats. He always seemed to find the little black one fine, even in the cold days London offered, which considering how long he spend in a place as hot as Afghanistan, was one of the few mysteries that this world had to offer for Sherlock. The next warning sign was the sign of sweat on his face, that wasn’t because he was wearing a lot warmer clothes than usual, no this sweat had been on his head for a long time, and it had the smell of fear. Likewise, his eyes, oh those blue eyes, they were not meant to be this dilated with fear, any other kind of dilation of them could in some ways even be celebrated in Sherlock’s opinion, but not like this, they turned into a darker blue colour that Sherlock had only seen a couple of times before, neither one good. Though it was a wonder he even got enough time to watch the eyes in the first place with all the blinking, and that was the last warning sign, if he can escape it, John can go almost a minute without blinking (Sherlock know he’s been keeping that logged) but when he’s scared, when he’s really scared, they don’t stop.

“Evening. This is a turn-up, isn’t it Sherlock” He spoke monotone, very much unlike John. 

“John, What the hell?” Sherlock almost breathed out, there didn’t seem to be much voice in him.

“Ho-“

“Bet you never saw this coming.” John cut him off, almost as if he didn’t hear him, and though that wasn’t very unlike John, he at least seemed to make an effort to then ask what snarky remark he properly had missed now, but once again, he acted unlike himself.

Sherlock couldn’t help but walk a bit closer to him, to see what was really going on. Seemed like he didn’t need to, as John took his hands up of his pockets, and pulled it aside to see… a bomb.

“What, would you like me to make him say next” As he spoke, a red spot only too familiar showed up on his chest. Sherlock started to look around to see where the source of it came from, but it was hidden to well in the shadows, he couldn’t find it.

“Gottle o’ gear, gottle o’ gear. Or how about, I love you” John seemed to stumble over the last sentence, just as Sherlock stopped up and looked up at John.

The stare was intense, it only lasted for a second, nonetheless it made Sherlock feel vulnerable, like for the first time, he was the one being read, in this case by John, instead of him being the one reading someone.

“Stop it” Sherlock said gentle while looking down at his feet, anything besides looking into those dark blue eyes, now no longer full of fear but of surprise.

“N-Nice touch, this. The pool, where little carl died.” John stumbled over the first word, but caught up quickly, perhaps because he knew what was at stake if he did not deliver the words exactly as he was told to do so, I mean the examples had been over the news twice now.

“I stopped him” John stopped and closed his eyes briefly, before stating the words Sherlock feared he would say “I can stop John Watson, too. Stop his heart.” ¨

“Who are you?” Sherlock said turning around to the empty space in the room, anything besides looking into those beloved blue eyes. He knew that wasn’t going to help him now, and he had to figure this out. Too much was at stake. Suddenly he understood why those people on the phone had been in tears, too much was in stake for them too, their own life’s. But in Sherlock’s case it was someone else’s life, someone close, too close clearly.

Finally something broke the silence, when another door opened. 

“I gave you my number” A familiar voice called out from the shadows. “I thought you might call” A teasing voice said, and now it made sense why the old blind women had said his voice was ‘soft’.

“Is that a British Army Browning L9A1 in your pocket, or ae you just pleased to see me” A man spoke as he stepped out of the shadows. He was fancily dressed up, a suit clearly made to fit him perfectly, and if it wasn’t any other scenario then this, he might have appreciated just how well it hug his body. Instead, in this scenario, he slowly pulled out the gun in his pocket while remaining eye contact with this man, the surprise of the gun had already been ruined, so he might as well put it to good use.

“Both” Sherlock said while pointing the gun at him.

“Jim Moriarty” The man introduced himself. Off course this was the Moriarty, so he really had played the game, first with the cabbie, then with the bombs, Sherlock couldn’t help but admire it a little bit.

“Hi” Moriarty spoke in a teasing voice.

“Jim, Jim from the hospital? Oh, did I really make such a fleering impression? But then, I suppose, that was rather the point” A smug smile spread on his face, and the admiration Sherlock had turned into a hatred by seeing John’s pained face out of the corner of his eye.

“Don’t be silly. Someone else is holding the rifle,” He said again as Sherlock adjusted his aim as Moriarty walked closer to them. “I don’t like getting my hands dirty.”

“I’ve given you a glimpse, Sherlock, just a teensy glimpse, of what I’ve got going on out there in the big bad world. I’m a specialist, you see.” Suddenly his eyebrow rose and he looked to Sherlock with a smile on his face before adding “Like you.”

“ ‘Dear Jim, please will you fix it for me” Sherlock spoke as he fitted it all together. “ ‘to get rid of my lover’s nasty sister?’ ‘Dear Jim, please will you fix it for e to disappear to South America?’”

“Just so” Moriarty answered with the same smug face.

“Consulting criminal. Brilliant. Isn’t it?” Sherlock spoke with grinding teeth.

“Isn’t it. No one ever gets to me.” Moriarty said with a smile, before suddenly the smile disappeared of his face as he spoke. “And no one ever will.”

“I did” Sherlock spoke as he cocks the gun, knowing a threat when he hears one.

“You’ve come to closest. Now you’re in my way.”

“Thank you” Sherlock said quickly.

“I didn’t mean it as a compliment”

“Yes you did”

“Yeah, okay I did” Moriarty said while shaking his shoulders. “But the flirting is over Sherlock, Daddy’s had enough now” He spoke in a sing-song. “I’ve shown you what I can do. I cut loose all those people, all those little problems, even 30 million quid, just to get you to come out and play. So take this as a friendly warning… my dear. Back off” By the sound of the endearment Sherlock couldn’t help but look to the side to see how John was doing with it all, he seemed to be trying to go to his own mind palace with the way his eyes were closed and he was rocking slowly back and forth. It hurt him to see him hurt that way, especially when he knew he couldn’t do much about it.

“Although I have loved this,” Moriarty continued “This little game of ours. Playing Jim from IT, playing gay. Did you like the little touch with the underwear?”

“People have died” Sherlock said, quoting John now, because now that he could see this ‘mystery man’ as who he really was, he saw the truth, this was not a way to get rid of boredom, this was murder.

“That’s what people DO!” The yelling of the last word made it ring all over the empty room.

“I will you stop you” Sherlock spoke calmly, not just to assure Moriarty, but also as a promise to John who opened his eyes just that second to look at him, that everything was going to be alright.

“No you won’t” Moriarty said carelessly.

“Are you alright” He directed it directly at John now, except, he seemed to be completely silent, only when Moriarty walked up behind him and ‘allowed’ him to talk, as if he was a dog, did he speak. And my how it all angered Sherlock, and the worst thing was that Moriarty properly saw through it all, he knew just how much this was bothering him. But a simple nod from John’s side brought him back, and assured him that the soldier was there.

“Take this” Sherlock looked back to Moriarty and reached out the hand with the USB in it. It didn’t matter how much Mycroft was going to kill him for this, no matter how much those missiles plans were worth, it wasn’t worth more than Johns life, and besides it wasn’t like this was the first quarrel they had about ‘national security’ matters, it had actually become some of an Easter tradition. 

Moriarty walked towards Sherlock to see what it was he had in his hand, and took them out of his hand.

“Oh, that, the missile plans.” He took them up to his lips and kissed them briefly. “Boring!” He spoke, to the surprise of Sherlock, and it wasn’t very often he could say that. “I could have gotten them anywhere” He spoke while throwing the USB in the depths pf the pool, only before they even hit the surface, out of nowhere, John runs up behind Moriarty and grabs him before he yells to Sherlock to run as Moriarty begins to laugh. Sherlock can’t move out of the place as he looks deeply into Johns sincere eyes.

“Good” Moriarty yells with a smile all over his face. “Very good” he says as he adds a laugh to it all as well. Meanwhile all Sherlock can do is look at John as he holds the gun pointed at Moriarty’s smug face.

“If your sniper pulls that trigger, Mr Moriarty, then we both go up” John whispers into Moriarty’s ear, but loud enough so Sherlock can hear it as well, though it isn’t hard with how quiet the room is, not even the splashing is to be heard in this moment.

“Isn’t he sweet? I can see why you like having him around.” Moriarty adds with a smile directed as Sherlock, as he sees the effect the words has on him. “But then, people do get so sentimental about their pets. They’re so touching loyal” Moriarty adds as he looks back to John, who only holds his hand tighter around Moriarty’s throat to keep him there. “But oops! You’ve rather shown your hand there, Dr Watson” Sherlock can only look as John’s face fills with despair, before he slowly lets go off Moriarty. It doesn’t take a genius (Though he would argue he’s definitely one) to figure out that there must be more than one sniper, and the reason why John’s eyes is fixed on Sherlock’s forehead, is because he now have a matching red dot as the man across from him.

“Gotcha” Moriarty chuckles, as John backs away, while only looking more hurt.

“Do you know what happens if you don’t leave me alone, Sherlock?” Moriarty asks as he waves of the crinkles of his suit from the rough encounter. “Do you?”

“Oh, let me guess. I get killed.” Sherlock answers in a boring tone, there’s nothing new with that kind of threats to say it mildly.

“Kill you? Mmm, no. Don’t be obvious. I mean I’m gonna kill you anyway someday. I don’t want to rush it, though. I’m saving it up for something special. No, no, no, no, no. If you don’t stop prying, I’ll burn you. I’ll burn the heart out of you” Moriarty said with an almost crazy look in his eyes as he was standing a short breath away from Sherlock.

“I've been reliable informed that I don't have one” Sherlock adds carelessly, not thinking about just who it was who said that.

“But we both know that's not quite true" Moriarty adds with a small smile, while looking a little bit to his right, and Sherlock can’t help but follow his eyes to where John is standing clueless. Only to quickly look back at Moriarty’s smug face, but the little hitch of breath that John can’t help but make by the eye contact doesn’t go unnoticed by any of the two parties in the room. Only it seems like if anything, it have just made the little smug lift of the side of Moriarty’s mouth expand to a grin, and just as Sherlock expects him to common on it, he surprises him.

“Well, I’d better be off. Well, so nice to have had a proper chat.” He licks his lips gently before making a small move as if he was to turn around and leave, but Sherlock can’t leave it like that.

“What if I was to shoot you now? Right now” He makes sure Moriarty have made a point of it, as he adjusts his aim so it’s aimed directly at the forehead, knowing just where he has to shoot him, to make sure he’s completely dead as the bulled reaches the back of his head. He’s studied it, just where to aim to make sure there’s the most collateral damage, it wouldn’t be hard.

“Then you could cherish the look of surprise on my face.” Moriarty adds without any hint of fear that Sherlock will do it, instead he imitates a surprised face, it seems, just for the heck of it, as he goes back to  smiling like a little kid. “Because I’d be surprised Sherlock. Really, I would. And just a teensy bit… disappointed. And of course, you wouldn’t be able to cherish it for very long” He added, bringing Sherlock to remember the red dot, not just on his forehead, but the one very clearly aimed at John’s chest. That aim he had studied quite well too, or at least enough to know that the chance of him surviving that, was less than what he wanted to deal with.

“Ciao, Sherlock Holmes.” Moriarty said as he started to walk away from the two of them.

“Catch you… later” Sherlock responded cocky as Moriarty opened the door to exit the room.

“No you won’t” Moriarty added in a high pitched voice as the door closed behind him. Sherlock waited a good 5 seconds before turning his attention back to John, he threw the gun on the floor before kneeling down in front of him to inspect how to as quick as possible get the bomb securely off him.

“All right?” Sherlock asked, only John didn’t answer right away “Are you all right?” He asked louder again, in fear that John had also been given something, something that he might not have been able to detect because of the dilated pupils, or the smell of the sweat he was drenched in. Only he needn’t worry it seemed, as he assured Sherlock that he was fine, though it was no secret that he looked anything but.

“I’m fine Sherlock” John repeated as Sherlock continued to fuss on getting the jacket off of him as quickly as possible, so quick that he practically ripped the jacket off of him, making John stumble on his feet because of the force of it, only to make him yell out the mans’ name to get his attention .

“Sherlock!” Though it seem he didn’t need to, as, as soon as the jacket was slide far away from them, he stopped up, making John able to breath heavily, only he wasn’t left alone for long, before Sherlock went and grabbed his face with gentle hands, to expect him further. Only John can’t seem to take his eyes off him now as he breathes heavily, just no longer for one thing only. As soon as Sherlock starts to realise just how deeply the stare is, he lets go and runs for the door to check that the hallway is empty.

He walks back into the pool room again, only to see John stumbling around, until he finally lands with his but on the floor. He quickly bows down and rests a hand on his shoulder to make him aware of his presence.

“Are you sure you’re alright” He asks, this time in a much gentler tone.

“I’m fine, John assures him again, meeting those familiar eyes, and getting lost in them for a moment.

“What about you, are you okay?” John asks while still a bit lost in the eyes.

“Me, yeah, yeah, I’m fine” Sherlock says with a cough as he gets up and walks around the room, not wanting to make John uncomfortable with the closure of the two.

"That uh, that thing you did, that you uh, offered to do, that was uh, good" Sherlock says with a mild stutter while hinting at how John putting himself in danger for him, and expecting Sherlock to leave him like that.

John looked up at Sherlock and met his eyes once again, and there was a hint of a small smile there before looking down again.  

"I'm glad no one saw that, you ripping my clothes off in a darkened swimming pool. People might talk" He said with a small laugh, though it was clear that he was still effected by nerves, there was no doubt about the small sly smile he was giving Sherlock.

"Oh I could think of worse things that could have happened" Sherlock said before he could help himself, perhaps getting a bit too lost in the moment as well, but the smile he got back from John either assured him that both of them were maniac after the whole thing, or that perhaps, just perhaps, John’s smile was actually genuine.  

"Oh really now" John added, not just with a smile, but with a little huff of a laugh that’s usually only reserved for when Sherlock says something stupid, but this one was different, this one was special, there was some fondness in it. And by the looks of the little smile that was now planted securely in John’s face, Sherlock couldn’t help but let out a little laugh, that John only joined in on.

Only the pleasure was short while, as suddenly the red dots was all over both of them, and the doors of the swimming pool was opened.

“No” John said breathlessly, before Moriarty’s voice filled the room once again.

“Sorry boys! I’m so changeable!” He laughed. Sherlock turned his eyes towards John’s heart-breaking eyes staring at the depths of the pool. “It is a weakness with me, but to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness.” He added with that haunting laugh. Sherlock couldn’t help that he was hinting at him, on how it was clear to see that Sherlock had a weakness in the room.

“You can’t be allowed to continue. You just can’t. I would try to convince you, but everything I have to say has already crossed your mind.” He laughed. But for Sherlock, all he could see was John’s blue eyes, no longer the host of a scared man, but a soldier once again, with no hands shaken as he was seeing the trouble he had had enough for a life time off. But there was something about it all that just didn’t stop him from falling into it all again, and maybe it wasn’t a what, but a who this time around. Nonetheless, in that moment, John gave Sherlock the little nod, saying that they had indeed been thinking the same thing, and with a secure mind, Sherlock turned around facing Moriarty.

“Properly my answer has crossed yours” Sherlock spoke while feeling a little sweat collecting on his forehead, but his hands was secure as he pointed the gun at Moriarty’s smug little face. Only to point it gradually downwards, until he was aiming at the brown and far too thick jacket for John, with a blinking light on it, suggesting that the bomb was very much still active. No doubt that one bullet would be able to set it off. And if it was the same charge as the others bombs he had placed on the innocent victims around the city, who was just a game piece in the so called ‘great game’ than it would for sure take out Moriarty, though for sure, also himself and John with it. But as the nod had suggested, they both knew the outcome would be bigger than both of them. All it would take was one bullet, and the smug face on Moriarty’s face would be wiped off, for good. Sherlock felt his hand tense around the trigger, ready to pull it.

Only, no bullets went off, instead, a funky beat started playing as ‘Stayin’ Alive’ filled the empty room.

Confussion filled both Sherlock and John’s face, but Moriarty’s face stayed blank, until he let out a sigh.

“Do you mind if I get that” Moriarty asked in the most normal tone he had used that night.

“Oh no, please. You’ve got the rest of your life.” Sherlock spoke with a confused face.

Moriarty took the phone carelessly, and in that moment he looked more like a teenager being told that he was to go home from the party early because it had passed his bedtime, than any consulting criminal.

“Hello? Yes, of course it is. What do you want?” He asked, while mouthing a ‘sorry’ to Sherlock for interrupting the conversation as if it had been a small and usual chat.

“SAY THAT AGAIN!” The room was filled with sound as Moriarty yelled at the phone angrily, surprising both John and Sherlock.

“Say that again and know that if you’re lying to me, I will find you and I will skin you.” He spoke as he dragged out the ‘s’, most likely for dramatic effect, but from the way he had been acting, it might as well be because the image of it pleased him.

Sherlock looked back at John briefly, just to see those dark eyes again that properly remembered from when he had been on the other end of the threats. And if it hadn’t been because of how he didn’t trust Moriarty enough to let his gun leave it’s aim, he would have tried to give him some sort of physical comfort, to show him that he wasn’t alone this time, that he was here, and as long as he was here, he wouldn’t let him be hurt again. He turned his look back to Moriarty as he told the other line to wait.

He looked disappointingly at Sherlock before walking, with careful steps, closer to the bomb. Sherlock adjusted the gun in his hand, just to make sure it was still aimed at the bomb, where it would for sure cause to the explosion. Only Moriarty stopped right in front of the bomb and looked up at their faces, before apologizing.

“Sorry, wrong day to die.”

“Oh, did you get a better offer?” Sherlock asked coldly, as even he had gotten enough of the games.

“You’ll be hearing from me, Sherlock.” Moriarty said finally before returning to his call, and leaving the room once again. As soon as he had left, all the dots disappeared, and it seemed that they were alone once again.

“What happened there?” John asked confused as he looked up to meet Sherlock’s eyes, only, Sherlock had nothing to say, simply actions that have been postponed far too long. So he rushes closer to John, and throws him down on the floor so he’s sitting in front of him, before, once again putting his hands on both sides of his face as he draws himself closer, until their lips connects. It takes a little while before John realises what’s happening, but as soon as he does, he closes his eyes and responds to the kiss.

It’s something new for sure, not for their imagination, but the feeling of it all. For Sherlock it have been a longing for quite a while now, and for John, a pleasure he didn’t know he needed this badly.

It’s only when they’re running out of their breath that they pull apart, and then all John seems to be able to muster is a breathless ‘wow’.

"Yeah, I guess that's what happens when you're on a gun point" Sherlock says a bit cocky, with a little smile of his own. John can only scoff at that.

"You've been on a gun point before, you never kissed me like that"

"Well to be fair, you haven't really made any signs to whether or not I could do it without you protesting to it" Sherlock cuts in.

"Oh really, and what changed your mind this time" John says with that little smile of his that Sherlock can’t help but love.

"I didn't change my mind, you did, I've wanted to do this every time" Sherlock simply says.

"Oh and how did you know I changed my mind, let me guess, you guessed" John says with a smirk, knowing very well what he's going to say.

"I never guess" Sherlock says looking humorously offended.

"Yeah you do" John says still with a smile on his face, before pulling him back into a long waited kiss.

_Fin_


End file.
